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Pupils’ views in the spotlight

Young people will have more of a say in their education with the launch of the Learner Panel by Deputy First Minister John Swinney, this week.

Made up of approximately 30 children and young people from nursery, primary and secondary schools across Scotland, it will provide an opportunity for young people (age 3-18 years) to share their personal experiences and views to design future educational policies.

Involving young people in education decision making results in fresh new perspectives and policy ideas while also improving attainment significantly.

That is why the Scottish Government is committed to strengthening the voice of young people and empowering them to have a say in how the system is shaped. It is our learners who are most affected by education policies in Scotland so it is only right that they are included at every stage of the process, not as an ‘add-on’ but as partners.

The Year of Young People is all about giving young people a stronger say on the issues affecting their lives and the new Scottish Learner Panel will help make that happen. It will provide an opportunity for young people all across Scotland to help shape school, local and national level education policies, highlight key issues and suggest new and creative ideas and proposals. I look forward to working with them and receiving their final report and recommendations.

Louise Macdonald, Chief Executive of Young Scot, said:

The Year of Young People aims to give young people a stronger say on issues affecting their lives, and this Learner Panel does exactly that. By listening to the voices of young people, the Scottish Government, the Scottish Youth Parliament, Children’s Parliament, Young Scot and Children in Scotland are affirming their commitment to young people during this landmark year, and beyond.

By placing the voice of young Scot’s at the heart of our education system we are ensuring that we build a future that is more vibrant, skilled, and confident. We all want Scotland to be the best place in the world for a young person to grow up – and an education system with their voice at the heart, we can truly make that happen.

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The panel will meet five times between October 2018 and March 2019, with a final report that will bring together the recommendations of the panel based on the research they have engaged in throughout the project.